It is amazing just how things are twisted today, isn't it? We are seeing a nation of twisted morals--that which is supposed to be good and descent is deemed bad and that which is bad and repulsive is given a green light.

For instance, we seek to pay our teachers, policemen and spiritual leaders--the morality teachers and upholders-- on the whole what we can get by paying them. We pay movie stars, politicians, and athletes--the morality corruptness--on the whole what they demand plus benefits--signing benefits, special appearances and promotional, etc. In our laws today, we find somewhat the same thing. For the last three laws of God we will look at, we will see that there is an inverted order of importance when we come to the enforcing of these laws. At the present, laws protecting property are far more numerous upon the books than laws protecting life. There are more laws protecting life, than for worshiping gods other than the true God. It would be a massive blowup if there was a law of this nature because in the public's eye the broken relationship between man and God is hardly counted as sin. Yet, it is this sin that is at the root of all others.

In Luke 10:30 and following, Christ relates a story that really gives the focus of this command: The good Samaritan. There are three main lessons taught here using the thinking process of three types of people:

Thieves - "What's yours is mine and I will take it from you for myself."

Priests/Levites - "What's mine is mine, and I will keep it for myself."

"Get all you can, can all you get, keep the lid on it and poison the rest."

Samaritan - "What's mine is mine, and I will share it with you."

Underlying this command is two important lessons that will encompass all that we talk about tonight:

1. The Privilege of Personal Property - There are three ways which man can possess property - a free gift or inheritance; working to purchase it; or theft, the taking that from another which belongs to him. The first two are based upon the God-given laws of human inter-relationships: Love and Work! The last one is forbidden!

Ephes. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

2. The Purpose of Divine Stewardship - God owns all things

Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David.The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

We then become stewards of those things which God gives--He is the provider, and we are responsible for giving careful attention to the things that He gives. We will then look at three areas of concern this commandment gives to us:

I. Stealing from Others - This is a huge category and there is no way that we will be able to spend time on everything that it encumbers, but let's look at what we can learn from the Word.

A. Thievery -What is at the heart of stealing someone else's property? The answer is the heart passion of covetousness that we will discuss at a latter time. However, it is important to grasp at what CS Lewis said:

"God loves us; not because we are lovable but because he is love, not because he needs to receive but because he delights to give."

2 Cor. 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

In contrast, stealing contradicts the generous, giving nature of Christ and puts self as the center of the universe. One's needs becomes the force behind the activity. The essence of true Christianity is giving rather than getting. When we live under the delusion that life is about getting, when we don't get, then we are entitled to take. It is then that we change the command from "Thou shalt not steal" to "Thou shalt not be found out!" This, God forbids!

B. Fraud -This is a two-sided coin. The first side says, "Do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay." "Get your hand out of the bossman's pocket.

Col. 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: The other side says, "Give an honest days wage for an honest day's work."

James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

We are seeing court cases mount in our work environments because we don't properly give out wages that are just and proper for the work rendered.

C. Improper Business Ethics - This deals with the strong preying upon the weak. Strong people have, without cause, stolen from the weaker.

Mark 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

This principle also is applied to international relations as well--weak nations being plundered by strong nations.

D. Gambling - This is an important issue today. The whole matter of getting by means that are neither worked for or given is gambling. No one can win at gambling without someone else losing. When you win it is profit and pleasure at the expense of someone else's pain and loss. Someone has said, "When a man gambles and wins, he is a thief; When he gambles and loses, he is a fool." There is a difference between taking a risk with the stock market and gambling. Gambling is motivated by greed and attempts to get something without giving where risk gives something in order to get. Gambling is attempting to get into my possession without you giving it to me or me paying you for it.

Jeremiah 22:13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

Habakkuk 2:6 Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his!

E. Unpaid Debt - This is the refusing to pay bills when they are owed.

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

When you don't pay when the debt is due, you owe it. Someone has said, "It pays to be honest." However, "It also costs to be honest." Another leg of this part of the application is the returning of that which borrowed--tools, books, etc.F. Slander -

Proverbs 20:19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:

This is the stealing of someone's reputation through misrepresenting someone's reputation through jealousy and gossip. Shakespeare said,

"Who steals my purse, steals trash…but he that filches from me my good name, robs me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed."

G. Cheating -

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

This is taking unfair advantage of others in a way that takes what has not been worked for, or not giving what is deserved. This is seen in business, as well as in school. The taking of answers, the scalping of figures on taxes, as well as giving improper change or taking change that isn't right. False accounting, pilfering business supplies--stamps, envelopes, copy machine, etc.

H. Faith - This is presenting teaching as God's Word when it isn't.

Jeremiah 23:29-30 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

God cries out against false prophets, liberals, modernists, and demands that God's Word be represented faithfully and truthfully and effectively render those around us its effect.

II. Stealing from God Himself! As far as I can tell, God shows us two ways that we steal from God Himself:

A. By withholding Self! This is very important that we understand true ownership!

1 Cor. 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

We are not our own. We belong to God. (Story of little boy with sail boat) "I made you, and now bought you back--you are forever mine!" We defraud God when we refuse to glorify Him in our lives--He made us and He paid the ransom for sin for us!

B. By withholding Stewardship! True ownership not only deals with us, but what God has given us.

Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

God gives always for the purpose of us being good stewards--good managers. Much of managing is giving back to God. All of our resources, including our money is given to us from God and we are to give it back to Him. When withhold it, we sin. One man who claimed salvation was asked, "Have you been baptized?" "No, " he said. "Why not?" asked the man. "The thief on the cross didn't." (same for church membership; and discipleship;) His answer was the same for all. The first man said, "There is one difference. The one on the cross was a dying thief. You are a living thief!"

III. Stealing from Self - When we rebel against the laws of God, we are actually stealing from self.

Jeremiah 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have with holden good things from you.

There is a tremendous effect upon our lives when we turn our backs on the things of God for our lives. Christ said,

Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

The effect of sin is not always easily perceived or seen until a matter of time. Then it rears its ugly head--often by then it is too late and we are a barren waste land because we have robbed ourselves from all that God had for us. The story is told of building in OK City that was in flames. A woman was sobbing that her child was left in side. One brave young fire-fighter valiantly commanded the hoses to be turned on himself as he dashed in to save the young infant. Through the smoke, he found the crib and the babe wrapped in a blanket. With quick heroism, he grabbed the bundle and rushed outside in the midst of the smoke and spray. The people cheered as he gave the bundle to the mother. However, to her horror, she screamed that the bundle was her baby's toy doll wrapped in the blanket. This is tragic. However, even more tragic than this is when we come to the throne of God clinging to our worthless toys of this world, missing the eternal blessings of a holy God. When the smoke of time and God's judgment and we are left with nothing we will then realized that we have robbed ourselves of real life in genuine fellowship with God through careful obedience.